German activists push back against Merz war drive

Schulstreik gegen Wehrpflicht Berlin/Instagram

Kate Hudson writes: As militarisation escalates across Europe, so too does opposition to it. Whether it’s at the bases or other military ‘facilities’, on the streets, or in the colleges and universities, there’s plenty of action being taken, to halt and reverse the preparation for war. Germany is one of the countries whose government is most unashamedly – and perhaps unexpectedly – gung-ho. Not surprising then that waves of new activists are coming on stream, as well as seasoned campaigners, with school strikes and sit ins, action camps, mobilisation against defence contractors, mass demonstrations, socio-economic campaigning in the trade unions and wider society – and no doubt there is much more, as activists respond to burgeoning new military initiatives.

One such protest has taken place this weekend in Leipzig, where a US arms company, Covenant, financed by the ultra-right US billionaire Peter Thiel, is preparing to produce a long-range weapon. Described as a mix between a cruise missile and long-range drone, it is thought to have a range of around 1,200 kilometres. It is considerably cheaper and quicker to make than a ‘normal’ cruise missile of the Tomahawk type and it’s projected that around 5,000 could be produced annually from 2028. Around 1,000 protestors gathered – a good turn out for a regional event at short notice. According to one of the organisers, Volker Kulow, ‘a strikingly large number of young people took part in the demonstration, chanting anti-militarist and internationalist slogans… various peace organisations, trade unionists and representatives of left-wing organisations spoke, who unanimously pledged further resistance against the planned missile factory.’ The next demonstration will take place on 24^th October. The protesters have been opposing both the production of the weapon which will increase the risk of war – and it turning Leipzig into a military target. They are calling instead for socially useful jobs and production, and investment in welfare, culture and education; these are immensely popular demands across Europe.

Protests continue at Buchel, which ‘hosts’ US/NATO nuclear weapons, and Ramstein, a USAF base that serves as the HQ for NATO Air Command, although the protests there are indicative of something of a ‘generation gap’ in the peace/anti-war movement in Germany. According to reports from on the ground, it seems there is currently a kind of ‘new’ anti-war movement in the making. There are ongoing school strikes – basically a new movement against conscription – with around 50,000 people taking part each time; the next is taking place at the end of next week. There are also protests staged by people between, roughly, the ages of 25 and 40 who have been active in local organisations: a wide spectrum with many from the left. One focus is a factory owned by Rheinmetall AG, in the densely populated residential area of Berlin Wedding, a traditionally militant working class area. Rheinmetall has converted the former automotive factory into an arms factory for large-calibre munitions. Strong local protests have been going on for a while and it has become central to Germany’s political debate around remilitarisation and rearmament. Greta Thunberg has joined the protests there, helping to raise the profile of the struggle. Rheinmetall AG is one of Europe’s largest weapons manufacturers and is a focus for other protests too. Every year the initiative ‘Rheinmetall entwaffnen’ (‘disarm Rheinmetall’) holds a very well-attended anti-war camp in Cologne every year.

So far the existing organisations – described by some as the ‘old’ peace movement – haven’t managed to win over many young people, largely because their immediate campaigning concerns seem distanced from the bases and nuclear weapons. The good news is that attempts are going on, on both sides, to bridge the gap. The shared interests are more than obvious. The US not only has nuclear weapons in Germany, it currently has around 40 active military ‘facilities’, 36,000 active duty military personnel in Germany, rising to almost 50,000 when National Guard members, reserves and civilian defence employees are factored in. Trump administration plans supposedly to reduce the numbers are slow-moving and small in scale. So the great military dangers are not just home-grown, and while the struggle against German rearmament is understandably a key focus, it is completely interwoven with US ambitions, NATO plans, and the intense dangers of wider war. Doubtless the movements will coalesce in opposition to weapons and war.

The demands of this weekend’s Leipzig protestors, for socially useful jobs and production, and investment to meet people’s needs, are echoed across Europe, not least in Britain. ‘Wages not Weapons’ and ‘Welfare not Warfare’ were prominent slogans at last week’s TUC conference. The sentiments from the movement in Germany were echoed by the majority of delegates at the Brighton conference centre as they backed the UCU’s Building Real Security motion. As Jo Grady from UCU, who moved the motion said, ‘Real security is built through decent work, strong public services, social protection, democratic institutions, environmental sustainability and international cooperation.’ Sharing experience, learning from each other, and supporting each other’s work in concrete terms is essential, if we are to defeat this current drive towards war, and the incredibly damaging militarisation of our societies. What’s taking place in Germany is mirrored elsewhere, in Europe and beyond, and now’s the time to really put international cooperation on the agenda – there is much that is inspiring taking place, so let’s take the TUC up on its pledge and push for practical outcomes.

Kate Hudson is Vice-President of CND. This article was first published by Labour CND.